Omaha daily bee., 1887-12-30
GARFIELD'S MENTOR FARM.
The Estate Larger Than Was Gen.
orally Supposed.

GARFIELD'S MENTOR FARM.
The Estate Larger Than Was Gem
orally Supposed.
Cleveland Correspondence: The old
farm in Mentor, four miles west OF here,
which Garfield bought some years before
his death, and on which he used tospend
the happiest days Of his life, is fast be-
coming one of the most beautiful coun-
try residences in the vicinity of Cleve-
land. None of the family is at present
there, though it has come to be recog-
nized as the family home. Mrs. Gar
field and one son and her daughter are
in England, and the other son is reading
law in New York. Uncle Joseph Ru-
dolph, Mrs. Garfield's brother, stays on
the place and looks after it and after the
extensive improvements which are be-
ing made upon it. Additions have been
built to the old house, and everything
that money would do to make it lovely
home has been done. OF course a
plumbers bill can give no idea of the
amount of work performed, but even a
plumber could hardly have the hardi-
hood to charge $4,000 for his services
unless he had at least driven by the
house, and $l3, ,00U is the amount which
has been paid to plumbers for their last
summers work upon the house and its
dependencies. The other outlays have
been in proportion.
This is only carrying out General Gar
fields idea. He always loved the farm
and loved to consider himself farmer.
He loved farm people and farm ways,
and the plain, homely talk of farm
neighbors. He always went away from
the Mentor home freshened and bright
ened in mind and body, and with his
face bronzed and his hands hardened by
work. Whatever charms the excite
ment OF political life had for him, he
was always anticipating his return to
the quiet mentor home, and it was there
he had planned to spend the declining
years Of his life. His devoted wife, in
clinging to the old place and making it
family home, is only doing what she
knew would be most pleasing to him.
Her beautiful Cleveland home is for sale,
and has been for some time, although
the price she asks for it-$50 900
Washington house brought about
what the appraisers estimated it at
$780, 900. The total appraised value of
Garfield's real estate was put down at
$37 900 in round numbers. He paid out
81 600 for the Mentor farm, though, of
course, at the time of his death it was
worth much more than that. In fact,
some years before he died, he put a
mortgage of $8, 600 upon it, which, for
some reason, he did not release for
long time, though, he was abundantly
| able to do so.
Indeed, there was at the time of Gem
| eral Gariield's death very general mis-
apprehension as to his financial condi-
J tion. 1t was the common opinion that
| he was comparatively poor man. The
| fact is he was comparatively rich man.
| There are here in Painesville one or
| two men who are millionaires, but q
man hereabouts who can command $50
600 is Il rich man. General Garfield left,
at the appraisers very low estimate, a
| good deal over 100000 in almost in
stantly available assets.
1t will be remembered that he left no
will. His brother-in-law, Uncle Joseph
Rudolph, was appointed administrator
Streator, N. B. Sherwin and DR.. j. p.
Robinson. No man in Ohio stands
higher, in point Of business honor and
sound business judgment, than DR..
Streator, and both he and DR.. Robinson
were warm, intimate friends of General
Garfield. Sherwin was at one time
postmaster of Cleveland and is sharp,
shrewd little man, whose admiration
for Garfield amounted to sort of
frenzy. The amount of the bond was
100000. The appraisers were DR.. Rob
inson, K. 7. G. Aldrich and William
Murray the Second. Mr.. Murray is al
ways particular to sign himself Murray
the Second for some reason, an uncle
having enjoyed the distinction OF being
Murray the First. The appraisers filed
their inventories in the Lake county
probate Office on the 1lth of March,
1882. They set aside 10000 in money,
and something over 81 1000 in other prop
erty for the support of the family dur
ing the twelvemonth, and after this
thev appraised the balance of the per-
sonal property at about $685. 900. The
entire estate, therefore, including the
$S7 600 real estate amounted according
to the appraisement, to between &l12,-
the people come with their generous
impulse TO help the family, General
Garfield's wife and children would have
been left in by no means destitute Cir
cumstances.
II was good deal of a surprise to the
people here--that is, to some OF them
to learn that the general was in such
comfortable circumstances, and there
are many who believe that he was worth
even more than that, and that his prop.
erty at the time OF his death would not
| nave ldllcH lluCn SuOTt Vi OI
$25O,O00. This, however, is largely 9
matter of speculation, and is based upon
the gratuitous assumption that the ap
praisers and those near HIM
who had the management o.
his affairs, would not over
estimate his wealth or do anything tc
overthrow the popular belief that he
died poor man, The general had {
group Of bitter enemies here at his
home, as nearly every man who rises u
eminence has, and some Of them, ever
thus long after his death, do not hesi
tate to vent their dislike in words. Hi,
general popularity at home, however
and the reverence for his memory ar,
still very strong, and even some o
those who do not hesitate to speak il
of him here among their neighhors
would be among the first to resent
bitter word against him from an out